Lucknow: Honour killings are wide-spread in
Uttar Pradesh though reported just from the western districts
of the state, an NGO in a report claimed here today.

AALI (Association for Advocacy and Legal Initiative), an
NGO working for women`s rights, in a report claimed in 2009,
there were 79 honour killings in the state, out of which only
14 were reported from the western districts (which is
considered to be the influence areas of Khap panchayat).

Of the 36 killings between January and March this year
only 7 took place in the western parts, the report said.

Young couples, who have chosen their partners themselves,
have also been killed in central and eastern UP districts like
Lucknow, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Agra, Ghaziabad, Shrawasti,
Barabanki, Rae Bareli, Etah, Faizabad, Gorakhpur, Basti,
Rampur, Farrukhabad, Lakhimpur Kheri, Kanpur and Mainpuri, it
claimed.

The report also claims that couples asserting their right
to choice have often been at the receiving end of the police,
primary courts and district administration.

Uttar Pradesh is among the nine states which have
received notices from the Supreme Court on June 22 this year
with regard to honour killings.